Hair Dye
by Pensmith
Summary: One-shot. What should have happened after The Blonde Squad.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious.**

**I haven't written for a while so sorry if it's rubbish. Written because CabbieFluffQueen wanted something new to read.**

Robbie breathed out heavily, allowing his emotions to escape with the same breath. He had just finished expressing his emotions to his dream girl through his hand crafted song. He knew it was not the best time for him to have sung it seeing as the girl had only just been broken up with. But his heart told him that now may have been the only time he would have the courage. Not because he saw her as vulnerable or weak, but because it was always nice to know that you were loved. Besides the worst he could figure is that she would laugh off his attempt. Even then he would get to hear her angelic laugh.

"Hey... what if i just dyed my hair blond?" Cat exclaimed enthusiastically. Her eyes lit up with passion at the simple brilliance of her idea.

People called Robbie clever, but that only applied to academic areas, when it came to girls though he had no clue of anything even remotely related. He never expected that answer from her. It never came up in the multiple scenarios he played in his head. It was only the creak of wood, startlingly loud in his absence of an answer, which brought him out of his shock.

"Sounds like a good plan to me" he replied in an even tone. That was always his main problem, he never let his true emotions be shown in a normal conversation. It always seemed easier to him to make sure that everyone else was happy, even if it meant his soul being crushed.

"Yay" Cat suddenly clasped his right arm and started pouting at him, "will you drive me to the salon?"

Normally Robbie would have caved instantly to those eyes. They always seemed to tug at his heart strings. Right now that wasn't working in her favour, as those strings only tugged at his pain. Turning his head to avoid her soul penetrating stare, he let out a long breath to cap his emotions before they swallowed him whole.

"You'll need to ask someone else Kitty, I've got to be somewhere" Robbie replied answering in the same monotone as before.

"Ooh, I think Jadey might need some girly time so I'll go ask her" Cat answered bounding out of her chair and through the double doors of the Black Box Theatre.

He stared at the door for a long while, picturing the girl dashing back through any minute and declaring the same love he had just professed to her. Logic and experience made him harshly aware that no matter how hard he wished that wouldn't happen. So with his mind taking back over his body, from his hearts temporary control, he pushed himself to a standing position and made out for his next location. This, only now that his brain was back in control, was when he realised that Cat never asked him where it was.

He could forgive her for that though as when she focused on something, like her hair, that was all that her brain could process. To be fair she probably never even heard half his song, let alone process a single word of it. With her it wasn't like everyone else who didn't care about his life; it was that she could only cope with a certain amount at once. He just wished that he could at least be her focus some of the time.

He placed his guitar on his back and made his way to his locker. He pulled out his bag and forced his books in before he retrieved the object at the back. Once he excavated the figure from his locker he had blank eyes staring back into him. Those eyes were almost as bad as Cat's.

"So you finally released me from that pit you call a locker" Rex exclaimed, shaking his head to get rid of the dust that seemed to have settled in it.

"What do you expect when you talk like that" Robbie retorted heading towards Hollywood Arts' exit.

"You mean _when I talk like that to Cat_" Rex taunted never letting his eyes leave Robbie.

"Just leave it! We're already running late" he snapped, realising his error a bit late.

"What'd you do now dingus?" Rex asked ask Robbie slid into his car.

"You know just the usual Robbie stuff you complain about all the time" Robbie said trying desperately to distract Rex from the real issue.

"That doesn't answer my question dorkus" Rex jeered, knowing exactly what Robbie was attempting to do.

"Fine," seeing no other way out Robbie took a deep breath and told Rex everything that had occurred that day, putting off the inevitable end as long as he could. By the time he finished he was dividing his stare equally between Rex and the road, hoping beyond hope that his wooden companion wouldn't be too hard on him.

"So you opened you heart to ditzy Daisy and she just blanked you. I knew girls didn't like you, but you're not even a blip to them. Haa... king dork" Rex barked out.

Robbie refused to look at Rex for the rest of the ride, deciding instead to focus his efforts on the road before him. He pulled into the parking lot and reluctantly brought Rex with him. Robbie could hear the low chuckle that continuously escaped from Rex's mouth. He retrieved his guitar from the boot and made his way through the entrance.

"Hey Robbie, they've been real eager to see you today. We got a new kid in today, she's a little scared" the receptionist said as he signed in and made his way down the hospital corridor towards the children's ward.

Robbie looked through the doors and saw the children sitting on their beds most of them looking board. He quickly suppressed his emotions and went through the routine in his head. He looked at Rex and no longer heard the low chuckle emanating from him. He quickly ruffled his hair and walked into the room backwards keeping his back to the children.

"Don't tell us you got us lost Rob" Rex whined.

"I'm just following the instructions the man gave us" Robbie responded.

"But I don't see any awesome kids here, do you?" Rex demanded, shaking his head slightly. Just then one of the children giggled, Robbie turned himself and Rex around at the sound.

"There they are, the most awesome kids on the planet" Robbie explained opening his arms wide to indicate that all the children were included.

"And to think we nearly didn't see them because you were foolish enough not to look around" Rex said, then let out a sigh aimed towards the children.

"Hey neither did you!" Robbie exclaimed in a high pitch tone.

"How can I, I'm attached to your hand if you don't turn me I won't move" The children all giggled at this.

The duo continued their routine for another hour. The new girl was reluctant to join in at first, but when Robbie starting playing his guitar and asked her to hold Rex, she brightened up. Robbie even had the staff laughing by the end of his set. After an hour he told the children he had to leave and found himself buried with hugs from the children. After another 10 minutes of goodbyes he started to leave, but was stopped by a member of staff.

"Hey Robbie you think you can drive me somewhere" she asked sweetly.

"Sure thing Lucy" Robbie answered "meet you at reception."

He was waiting only a couple of minutes before he saw Lucy walking towards him. He saw her pretty much every week and drove her somewhere most weeks. He always enjoyed her company because she was separate from his school and home life so he could talk to her more easily. He got up to greet her and she gave him a hug.

"There's my funny man" Lucy said as she gave Robbie a one arm hugged.

"Your funny man?" he questioned, giving her a funny look.

"Well I am the only one that's been there since you starting doing your comedy thing, so I say that makes you mine" she explained dragging him outside the hospital.

He threw Rex and His guitar in the back of his car before opening the car door for Lucy. She gave him a smile before buckling herself in. Robbie looked over at her and was about to ask her where she wanted to go when something stuck out to him. Her blonde hair. Then all the hurt he suppressed earlier came bursting forth and he froze on the spot.

"Are you alright, Robbie?" Lucy asked concern heavy in her voice. At the tone of her voice, he awoke from his state and shook himself.

"I'm good" he lied, "Where do you want to go?" he asked hoping she would drop it.

"The salon on Melrose" she responded. Robbie though fast and tried to think of a way to keep the topic off him.

"You sprucing yourself up for a fella" he asked.

"That was the idea but he bailed. You know I'm not done with your problem right" she told him giving him a wry look.

"oh..um... so he bailed that sucks" Robbie stuttered unable to comprehend her response. Lucy simply shook her head.

"I was wary about it anyway, there was something off about him." She explained.

"Well any guy would be lucky as cheese to date you" Robbie offered hoping he had steered the conversation away from him.

"That's always nice to hear, even if it's a little odd. Now what's up with you?" Lucy asked with a small smile on her face.

"Nothing" he squeaked "we're here."

"Two options either spill now or I'm dragging you inside and forcing you to listen to girly talk" Lucy threatened.

"Girly talk sounds fun" Robbie offered, although his eyes screamed in horror.

"Fine then let's go" Lucy sighed.

She dragged him inside and Robbie immediately regretted it. He was assaulted by a multitude of smells that aggravated his allergies, luckily he carried his meds in his pocket so he took them and joined Lucy at a nail station. His eyes suddenly bulged when he caught sight of someone behind Lucy.

"Okay so there's either the most ridiculously beautiful girl behind me or the source of your issue" she explained.

"Both" Robbie moaned.

"Okay so wild guess, you like her and she doesn't know" she guessed.

"Sort of I think she knows but is ignoring it" he explains.

"Then give her an ultimatum" she suggested.

"No point in making her unhappy, I'll be fine" he responded.

"Fine, if you're going to be like that an ultimatum for you. Either you go over there in the next minute or I do" she explained.

"And say what love me or else" he yell whispered at Lucy.

"Nope you give her an ultimatum. Tell her to talk to you about it or you'll walk. Simple" Lucy told him.

"I'm not sure I can cut her out" Robbie explained.

"Then let me be your patch, if she won't talk to you then every time you want to talk to her then talk to me instead. I'll be your substitute." Lucy offered, "oh and you have 10 seconds left.

"She's happy as she is and I won't ruin that." Robbie explained.

"Fine" Lucy said as she sprung up from her chair. She marched over to Cat and introduced herself. "Hi, I'm Lucy"

"Yay a new friend, I'm Cat" the girl said cheerily.

"I believe you know the man over there" Lucy asked pointing at Robbie, who was now firmly staring at the floor.

"Robbie's here, but he said he was busy" she pouted.

"He was, he gave me a lift after the hospital" Lucy explained.

"Wait was he hurt, because one time my brother thought he could fly so he..."

"He's fine, he does comedy for the sick children" Lucy interrupted.

Cat looked at Robbie confused. Why didn't he just say that was what he was doing, then she wouldn't have felt so hurt. She then turned her attention back to Lucy and wondered exactly who she was to Robbie. Cat was suppose to be Robbie's best friend but she now realised that she never knew that much about him.

"So how long have you known Robbie?" Cat asked.

"4 years, ever since his sister was in the hospital for a month. I was doing work experience and Robbie and I really hit it off."

"That's longer than I've known him" Cat pointed out.

"Look the reason I came over was because I gave Robbie an ultimatum and he failed to act so now he faces the consequences" Lucy explained.

"Is an ultimatum, like a magnum because I love ice cream" Cat asked innocently.

"Not exactly. I told him to tell you that you needed to talk about him liking you but he refused saying that he preferred for you to stay happy rather than risk your happiness." She explained to Cat. "Now I've know Robbie a long time and keeping others happy is his highest priority even if it makes him sad. But I want to see him happy so please talk to him so one way or another he can be happy."

With that Lucy walked away and back to Robbie. He would not look up and meet her eyes. Both simply looked anywhere but at each other. Lucy felt slightly guilty for forcing this on Robbie but she knew it was for the best. Robbie similarly felt bad that he didn't have the courage to talk to Cat himself but his very nature stopped him.

They both looked up when a soft voice spoke up. "Robbie can we talk?" Cat squeaked.

Robbie stood up, silently answering her question. Cat lead them back to her seat. She had her hair wrapped up and was waiting for the hairdresser to come and see her. She sat there fiddling with her thumbs. Robbie simply settled for examining the bottles around Cat's chair.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to the hospital?" Cat asked.

"You never asked and it didn't seem important" Robbie answered, still refusing to meet Cat's eyes.

"For four years"

"No-one ever asked and everyone was happy, so why make people feel guilty about not doing something like that" Robbie explained.

"But we could of helped" Cat offered.

"I wanted this to be my own little thing, something I did that not only made others happy but me too" Robbie explained to Cat.

"Are you not happy Robbie?" Cat asked shocked at his confession.

"Seeing others happy makes me happy" Robbie lied.

"But Lucy said that you'd be unhappy just to make me happy" Cat quizzed Robbie.

"It's not that I'm unhappy Cat it's just..." Robbie trailed off "why would you change for one person?"

"Why is that important?"

"I'm asking because if one person wants you to change and another wants you to stay the same what do you do?" Robbie asked.

"I just do what makes me happy" Cat shouted gleefully.

"Ok so I'll give that a try. But first can I ask what colour is your hair?"

Cat whipped of the towel that had been covering her hair the entire time. Robbie couldn't believe what he saw, his mind simply could not process the sight in front of him. Cat's hair was the same colour it had always been, a beautiful luscious red.

"I thought you were going to dye it blonde?" Robbie asked.

"I was but when I thought about it I realised that my hair was important not only to me but someone else too" Cat hinted to Robbie.

"Who?" he asked.

"You silly you said I was perfect the way I was so I just re-dyed my hair" Cat explained.

"OK... you answered my question so now it's my time to do what makes me happy" Robbie explained.

"And what's that?" Cat asked.

"This" he said. He pulled Cat's chin up and tenderly placed his lips on her. He was hesitant at first expecting her to pull away immediately, but when he felt her start to kiss back he gained confidence. He lost himself in the kiss only stopping to take in a breath. Robbie leant his forehead

"All I need to be happy is you, as you are and as you want to be. So long as you're happy I will be happy" Robbie confessed.

"I'm at my happiest when I'm with you" Cat returned.


End file.
